Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Markieff Morris- Rasheed Wallace Without the Temper?

Markieff Morris, a 6'10 post-grad forward from APEX Academies, is the taller of the twin brothers who will be heading to Kansas next season. Markieff is a talented player with a solid all-around game, and--like his brother--is one of the premiere post-grads in the nation. Morris' Stan Jones, Inc. AAU squad was at the Providence Jam Fest a few weeks ago. As Markieff and his teammates were waiting around for their game, I took the opportunity to sit down with the big man and discuss basketball, his game, and more.

NB: What has driven you to continue playing AAU basketball? You’ve already signed with a school, . . . you’re set for college, [so] why continue playing?MarkM: I just [get] bored, really. I work out a lot, and I . . . just wanting to get away, anticipating . . . our rival at school, so I just [am] playing, just to play.

NB: What are some of your interests outside of basketball?MarkM: Girls, [and] I [am] with my boys all the time. That’s it really.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?MarkM: I would say my post play, but I can shoot the three real [well, also]. So, I would say my post play.

NB: What [is] . . . your biggest weakness?MarkM: Getting up and down the floor all the time.

NB: How are you going to try to work on that at Kansas?MarkM: I [will] just run, get up in the morning, get up in the morning and run miles [and] run sprints, and do that everyday to get my body in shape so I can be ready.

NB: How do you and Marcus maintain that teammate bond and that brother bond at the same time?MarkM: Well, we [have] been playing together . . . since we started [playing], so it always was there, so it’s nothing really.

NB: Who would you compare your game to out of all current college or NBA players?MarkM: Rasheed Wallace.

NB: Why Rasheed [Wallace]?MarkM: Because he can shoot the three, and he can post-up real [well].

NB: When you’re watching him play, do you try to emulate him [and] watch what he’s doing and try to do that in your game, or do you just think that your [game is] just comparable?MarkM: I try to imitate him a little bit, but Rasheed [has] got [a] real bad temper, so I try not to lose my temper on the court, but . . . I [have] met him a couple [of] times. He’s a great role model, and that’s who I try to imitate.

NB: What was it like for you to meet him the first time?MarkM: It was kind of big, but it was kind of [a] good way to meet him, but . . . I was really in school, so I just surprised that he was there, and I liked him.

NB: Give me one word to sum up your game.MarkM: [Pause] Do-it-all.

Markieff clearly likes Rasheed Wallace, and he is a good player to play like. 'Sheed is one of the top forwards in the NBA, and has helped lead the Pistons to the top of the Eastern Conference in the 21st century. As Morris noted, Wallace does does have a temper problem, though. As long as Markieff Morris keeps his temper in check and keeps playing like Rasheed, he might just follow him to the League.